PH Highlights Priorities, Initiatives and Role of Business in Disaster Risk Reduction at the 2022 Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on DRR

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga with the national government representatives (DFA, DENR, DOF, and DND-OCD) of the Philippine delegation at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. (Photo from DFA UNIO)

BRISBANE 26 September 2022 – The Philippines highlighted its targets and steps toward disaster risk reduction as it shares its vision of safer, adaptive, and disaster-resilient Filipino communities towards sustainable development at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) held in Brisbane, Australia.

The Philippine national statement shared the country’s efforts and measures in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, as well as the progress it is making as it takes part in the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Sendai Framework. It also encourages other countries and partners to continue to spotlight our shared disaster risk reduction management advocacy.

At the Ministerial Forum held on 19 September, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga stated, “Compound and cascading hazards and fragile systems urgently require fundamental shifts towards all-hazards, whole-of-society, transdisciplinary, and systems approach to preventive risk governance that is inclusive, responsive, and adaptive.” The Secretary is the Head of the Philippine delegation to the APMCDRR 2022.

As a Panelist at the Plenary Session on Risk Informed Investments and Scaling Up Financing for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Secretary underscored that resilience is everyone’s business and highlighted the private sector's role in ensuring resilience is a core business value. She cited examples of corporations in the Philippines that have embedded resilience investments in their primary operations and supply and value chains.

The Philippines’ vulnerabilities to disasters and the progress achieved by the country in preventing and responding to disasters through robust public private partnerships have been recognized by the government and civil society representatives in the APMCDRR. The Philippines committed to continue to strengthen its regional engagement to ensure the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The 2022 APMCDRR was held in Brisbane, Australia on 19-22 September 2022. The Philippines was represented in person by a team composed of various government agencies (DFA, DENR, DOF, and DND-OCD), local government representatives, private sector partners, and civil society organizations. END

Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga delivered the Philippine statement at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction on 19 September 2022 in Brisbane. (Photo by UNDRR)